Sunday, August 1, 2010

Sunday Salon - Why Do I Get Up So Early on Sundays?

I wish I knew. Actually I do- it's so I get my workout in early and can spend the rest of the day doing as little as possible. But sometimes it would be nice to sleep in!

This past week has been busy and fun. I missed Ilie Ruby's reading in Brookline on Monday (I have her book, The Language of Trees, to review, and she's a local writer) but I did get to the Harvard Book Store's Fall Winedown event on Thursday. Fun! This event was a preview of fall titles presented by sales representatives from Random House and Harper Collins, and what a great presentation. All but one of the books were new to me, and considering how many fall galleys I brought home from BEA I was impressed! Some of the highlights:

Must You Go, by Antonia Fraser, a memoir of her life with Harold Pinter,

C, by Tom McCarthy, a novel which has been longlisted for the 2010 Booker Prize,

First Family: Abigail and John Adams, by Joseph J. Ellis,

Laura Hillenbrand's new book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption,

The Bells, by Richard Harvell, a novel about a castrato singer, which Random House rep Michael Kindness raved about,

and At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by the wonderful Bill Bryson.

The reps did some fun giveaways including books but also things like CDs and other themed items. We also learned about the amazing series of readings and events that Harvard Book Store has lined up: David Sedaris, Salman Rushdie, Paul Auster, Tony Blair in conversation with Tina Brown, and more. It's going to be a busy season!

Today? Today I'm going to continue reading Gary Shteyngart's new novel, Super Sad True Love Story, and AviSteinberg's awesome memoir Running the Books. I have to check my list of to-reads but I think after the Shteyngart I'm going to take a break from current releases and read a couple of short novels and older things. But I'm going to be a while on the Shteyngart! It's a fun book but after The Frozen Rabbi I'm looking forward to something less affected. What are you reading today?

I am reading something different. The Castaways, A chick-Lit kind of novel. After reading a depressing book I need something upbeat. Have a great Sunday. it has been awhile that I have a Sunday off. It feels great.